Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 1:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 10:12 a.m.

Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. confirmed plans Thursday that were previously reported by the Herald-Tribune to open a Nordstrom Rack at the Shoppes at University Center.

Facts

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack:Headquarters: SeattleFull-line stores: 116, with 9 in FloridaRack stores: 95, with 8 in Florida (not including Sarasota, Jacksonville and Naples)Typical size: Varies, International Plaza's Nordstrom Rack in Tampa is 166,000 square feet over two levels, while most are 35,000 square feetNordstrom revenue: $8.57 billion

The 35,000-square-foot store is scheduled to debut in fall 2013 in the property owned by Benderson Development Co.

"We're excited to have found this terrific location that will enable us to bring the Rack treasure hunt experience to our customers in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area and throughout Sarasota County," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, in a statement.

The move also could signal Nordstrom's interest in opening a larger department store in the regional mall slated to debut in October 2014.

Typical Nordstrom Rack stores measure about 35,000 square feet and sell merchandise from Nordstrom department stores and www.Nordstrom.com at up to 60 percent off original marked prices.

The former Circuit City space is being expanded by 15,000 square feet to accommodate the Rack store, said Mark Chait, executive director of leasing for Benderson Development.

"This is an ideal spot for Nordstrom Rack, there is an extraordinary interest in being visible to University Parkway," Chait said. "The Shoppes at University Center is a power center with a strong mix of regional and national chains like Total Wine, Guitar Center, Ross, Marshalls and Bonefish."

Though Nordstrom decided to curtail new full-line development stores at the outset of the Great Recession, the retailer has been aggressively expanding its Nordstrom Rack brand — an outlet brand equivalent to Saks Fifth Avenue's Off 5th — in recent years.

In downtown Chicago, a multi-story, traditional Nordstrom department store was joined last year by a Rack just blocks away on the city's "Magnificent Mile" shopping district.

"It is not uncommon for Nordstrom to have a full-line and Rack store in the same region," said Jeff Green, who heads a Phoenix-based retail consulting company. "At one time you would never see that, but in recent years Nordstrom has focused more on broadening the customer experience and they know they can reach more shoppers with both an outlet and traditional store nearby."

The outlet store's arrival also might signal a future department store at the Mall at University Town Center.

Although Nordstrom was among the original tenant mix at the 880,000-square-foot mall, the company pulled back amid the recession as the original plans stalled. The Seattle-based retailer and mall developers have since declined to say whether it might return to the mall, being co-developed by Benderson and Taubman Centers Inc.

The $315 million mall's current anchor lineup includes Saks, Macy's and Dillard's — with room for a fourth potential department store, designs show. Taubman Centers has yet to announce a confirmed lease with a fourth anchor retailer.

Nordstrom has opened more than a few Rack stores in Florida markets with the chain's existing department stores.

In Jacksonville, the company announced this month it will open a Rack by the end of this year near a full-line Nordstrom store slated to open in the St. John's Town Center in early 2014.

Another Rack store will open in Naples this year, not far from the company's existing, full-line store at the Waterside Shops.

In all, Nordstrom has plans to open 15 new Rack stores a year, according to documents the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By comparison, many years Nordstrom will open just a single full-line store.

The company operates 117 full-line stores and 95 Rack stores at present, but the number of Rack stores is expected to surpass the full-line total by the end of this year.

In Florida, Nordstrom operates nine department stores and eight Racks — the University Parkway store would be the ninth.

EARLIER: Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. confirmed plans Thursday that were previously reported by the Herald-Tribune to open a Nordstrom Rack at the Shoppes at University Center.

The 35,000-square-foot store is scheduled to debut in fall 2013 in the property owned by Benderson Development Co.

"We're excited to have found this terrific location that will enable us to bring the Rack treasure hunt experience to our customers in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area and throughout Sarasota County," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, in a statement. "We look forward to getting our doors open and serving customers at the Shoppes at University Town Center."

The move also could signal Nordstrom's interest in opening a larger department store in the regional mall slated to debut in October 2014.

Typical Nordstrom Rack stores measure about 35,000 square feet and sell merchandise from Nordstrom department stores and Nordstrom.com at up to 60 percent off original marked prices.

Though Nordstrom decided to curtail new full-line development stores at the outset of the Great Recession, the retailer has been aggressively expanding its Nordstrom Rack brand — an outlet brand equivalent to Saks Fifth Avenue's Off 5th — in recent years.

In downtown Chicago, a multi-story, traditional Nordstrom department store was joined last year by a Rack just blocks away on the city's "Magnificent Mile" shopping district.

The outlet store's arrival also might signal a future department store at University Town Center.

Although Nordstrom was among the original tenant mix at the 880,000-square-foot mall, the company pulled back amid the recession as the original plans stalled. The Seattle-based retailer has since declined to say whether it might return to the mall, being co-developed by Benderson and Taubman Centers Inc.

The $315 million mall's current anchor lineup includes Saks, Macy's and Dillard's — with room for a fourth potential department store, designs show.

Nordstrom has opened more than a few Rack stores in Florida markets with the chain's existing department stores.

In Jacksonville, the company announced this month it will open a Rack by the end of this year near a full-line Nordstrom store slated to open in the St. John's Town Center in early 2014.

Another Rack store will open in Naples this year, not far from the company's existing, full-line store at the Waterside Shops.

In all, Nordstrom has plans to open 15 new Rack stores a year, according to documents the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By comparison, many years Nordstrom will open just a single full-line store.

The company operates 117 full-line stores and 95 Rack stores at present, but the number of Rack stores is expected to surpass the full-line total by the end of this year.

<p>Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. confirmed plans Thursday that were previously reported by the Herald-Tribune to open a Nordstrom Rack at the Shoppes at University Center.</p><p>The 35,000-square-foot store is scheduled to debut in fall 2013 in the property owned by Benderson Development Co.</p><p>"We're excited to have found this terrific location that will enable us to bring the Rack treasure hunt experience to our customers in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area and throughout Sarasota County," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, in a statement.</p><p>The move also could signal Nordstrom's interest in opening a larger department store in the regional mall slated to debut in October 2014.</p><p>Typical Nordstrom Rack stores measure about 35,000 square feet and sell merchandise from Nordstrom department stores and www.Nordstrom.com at up to 60 percent off original marked prices.</p><p>The former Circuit City space is being expanded by 15,000 square feet to accommodate the Rack store, said Mark Chait, executive director of leasing for Benderson Development.</p><p>"This is an ideal spot for Nordstrom Rack, there is an extraordinary interest in being visible to University Parkway," Chait said. "The Shoppes at University Center is a power center with a strong mix of regional and national chains like Total Wine, Guitar Center, Ross, Marshalls and Bonefish."</p><p>Though Nordstrom decided to curtail new full-line development stores at the outset of the Great Recession, the retailer has been aggressively expanding its Nordstrom Rack brand — an outlet brand equivalent to Saks Fifth Avenue's Off 5th — in recent years.</p><p>In downtown Chicago, a multi-story, traditional Nordstrom department store was joined last year by a Rack just blocks away on the city's "Magnificent Mile" shopping district.</p><p>"It is not uncommon for Nordstrom to have a full-line and Rack store in the same region," said Jeff Green, who heads a Phoenix-based retail consulting company. "At one time you would never see that, but in recent years Nordstrom has focused more on broadening the customer experience and they know they can reach more shoppers with both an outlet and traditional store nearby."</p><p>The outlet store's arrival also might signal a future department store at the Mall at University Town Center.</p><p>Although Nordstrom was among the original tenant mix at the 880,000-square-foot mall, the company pulled back amid the recession as the original plans stalled. The Seattle-based retailer and mall developers have since declined to say whether it might return to the mall, being co-developed by Benderson and Taubman Centers Inc.</p><p>The $315 million mall's current anchor lineup includes Saks, Macy's and Dillard's — with room for a fourth potential department store, designs show. Taubman Centers has yet to announce a confirmed lease with a fourth anchor retailer.</p><p>Nordstrom has opened more than a few Rack stores in Florida markets with the chain's existing department stores. </p><p>In Jacksonville, the company announced this month it will open a Rack by the end of this year near a full-line Nordstrom store slated to open in the St. John's Town Center in early 2014.</p><p>Another Rack store will open in Naples this year, not far from the company's existing, full-line store at the Waterside Shops.</p><p>In all, Nordstrom has plans to open 15 new Rack stores a year, according to documents the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By comparison, many years Nordstrom will open just a single full-line store.</p><p>The company operates 117 full-line stores and 95 Rack stores at present, but the number of Rack stores is expected to surpass the full-line total by the end of this year.</p><p>In Florida, Nordstrom operates nine department stores and eight Racks — the University Parkway store would be the ninth.</p><p>EARLIER: Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. confirmed plans Thursday that were previously reported by the Herald-Tribune to open a Nordstrom Rack at the Shoppes at University Center.</p><p>The 35,000-square-foot store is scheduled to debut in fall 2013 in the property owned by Benderson Development Co.</p><p>"We're excited to have found this terrific location that will enable us to bring the Rack treasure hunt experience to our customers in the Sarasota-Bradenton metro area and throughout Sarasota County," said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, in a statement. "We look forward to getting our doors open and serving customers at the Shoppes at University Town Center."</p><p>The move also could signal Nordstrom's interest in opening a larger department store in the regional mall slated to debut in October 2014.</p><p>Typical Nordstrom Rack stores measure about 35,000 square feet and sell merchandise from Nordstrom department stores and Nordstrom.com at up to 60 percent off original marked prices.</p><p>Though Nordstrom decided to curtail new full-line development stores at the outset of the Great Recession, the retailer has been aggressively expanding its Nordstrom Rack brand — an outlet brand equivalent to Saks Fifth Avenue's Off 5th — in recent years.</p><p>In downtown Chicago, a multi-story, traditional Nordstrom department store was joined last year by a Rack just blocks away on the city's "Magnificent Mile" shopping district.</p><p>The outlet store's arrival also might signal a future department store at University Town Center.</p><p>Although Nordstrom was among the original tenant mix at the 880,000-square-foot mall, the company pulled back amid the recession as the original plans stalled. The Seattle-based retailer has since declined to say whether it might return to the mall, being co-developed by Benderson and Taubman Centers Inc.</p><p>The $315 million mall's current anchor lineup includes Saks, Macy's and Dillard's — with room for a fourth potential department store, designs show.</p><p>Nordstrom has opened more than a few Rack stores in Florida markets with the chain's existing department stores.</p><p>In Jacksonville, the company announced this month it will open a Rack by the end of this year near a full-line Nordstrom store slated to open in the St. John's Town Center in early 2014.</p><p>Another Rack store will open in Naples this year, not far from the company's existing, full-line store at the Waterside Shops.</p><p>In all, Nordstrom has plans to open 15 new Rack stores a year, according to documents the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. By comparison, many years Nordstrom will open just a single full-line store.</p><p>The company operates 117 full-line stores and 95 Rack stores at present, but the number of Rack stores is expected to surpass the full-line total by the end of this year.</p><p>In Florida, Nordstrom operates nine department stores and eight Racks presently.</p>